


two is a real number

by opanimeboy



Series: 2wink World [1]
Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Comfort. Lots of Angst., Character Study?, Further Tag Explanations in Notes, Gen, Parental Negligence, hbd 2wink!!!, minor character death offscreen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 08:25:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18007322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opanimeboy/pseuds/opanimeboy
Summary: Hinata is nearly seven when lots of things change.He thinks it happens in the span of a few weeks, but Yuuta thinks it's two months. He trusts Yuuta the most out of everyone, but he's pretty sure he's wrong.After Mom's disappearance and funeral that he really, really hated because it made his chest hurt and Yuuta cry - Dad, dinner, and everything with food change.





	two is a real number

**Author's Note:**

> TAG WARNINGS:  
> Parental Negligence - Father does not provide for them besides shelter. He does not monitor or feed them after a point when they're very young.
> 
> Hunger - It does not reach the point of starvation, but the boys are not fed for a few days and only have insufficient odds and ends. It’s the reason anything happens in this story.
> 
> Mr. Aoi makes an appearance but not for long besides to say something garbage to them.
> 
> Warnings aside — hi! My interactions with children are not extensive which might show but I think I did kinda okay some parts? Sorry, tried my best with what limited snark and curiosity and dependency I have witnessed from some.
> 
> Something I do know: Kids are the future and deserve the whole world.
> 
> So basically, 2wink are baby. Happy birthday to my sons.

Hinata is nearly seven when lots of things change.

He thinks it happens in the span of a few weeks, but Yuuta thinks it's two months. He trusts Yuuta the most out of everyone, but he's pretty sure he's wrong. If Mom were around, she'd settle the matter and make the loser feel better about being dumb. But she's not. They say she's 'gone,’ - dead - and that makes him sad and curious. He’s vaguely aware of what that means, but it's not really clicking. Him and Yuuta asked “Where?“, “Why?”, and “When is she coming back? Will she come back?” and every answer is different from every family member, so that's why he doesn't trust them more than Yuuta - who sometimes uses his stuff without asking or pawns off vegetables onto his plate when their parents aren't looking.

After Mom's disappearance and funeral that he really, really hated because it made his chest hurt and Yuuta cry - Dad, dinner, and everything with food change.

Mom and Dad were busy already, but Dad starts to come home later and later. At first, it's fun to stay up all night and pig out on the bag of spicy chips Mom treated them to on special occasions since no one is there to stop them. But no one besides Yuuta is there to comfort him when he gets a stomach ache, and the bag runs out fast. They're late to school sometimes because they sleep through the alarm or are too slow getting ready around the other - squabbling over bathroom privileges or who gets the bigger piece of split toast. They don't skip after trying it out once because it's boring at home when they could get lunch and play time with friends instead.

When Mom and Dad were home in the evenings, they used to eat a home cooked meal with too many greens together. Now, Dad goes straight to bed if he gets back at a reasonable time or not, and every few days, he forgets to buy their favorite packaged and microwave food so they make do with whatever gross dry stuff is in the pantry.

It's one of those days where they try some neat experiment with Extra Super Hot cheese powder and egg noodles that tastes like cheesy dirt and leaves the kitchen a mess that Dad blows up at them.

In the first place, he doesn't talk to them as much since Mom's death. Hinata knows that he's sad, so he doesn't really bother him much unless he's got a question or to remind him that Yuuta got milk on his favorite shirt so it needs to be washed as soon as possible. Hinata feels bad about it, but things still need to be done. He wants to be nice and comfort him, but he doesn't want to get yelled at for being annoying. Especially because he has started telling Yuuta and Hinata that they're annoying when they talk about things they always used to chat or ask about.

In a rare turn of events, he gets home around 10, sees how dirty the kitchen is, and goes off. The two cry side by side but Hinata lowers his head and takes the blame as the older brother. Dad turns on him.

“You need to start taking responsibility. I won't be here to do everything for you.”

When he says that, he means it, and that makes many more things change.

They clean up, and Dad goes to sleep. Hinata and Yuuta have separate rooms, but they'd been sleeping together for a few weeks or maybe a month by now. That night is no different except the crybaby lets his older brother sob into his shoulder instead.

The next day, he gets Yuuta to help him figure out how to work the washing machine and they miraculously succeed. The whites that are tinted pink don't count, and anyways - Yuuta's wrong and Hinata's right to say they're cuter now. Hinata remembers what Mom would do around the house along with their assigned chores they'd been neglecting, and he tries to copy everything he'd seen her do. They make sure to bathe and brush their teeth as often as they remember to since commercials of celebrities always said how important that is. It feels good after refusing to for a few days and he notices his classmates come closer to him when he smells like strawberries. They dry each other's hair before bedtime that they _attempt_ to maintain. Yuuta gets good at vacuuming even if he sucks up crayons on accident, and Hinata is pretty good at hanging laundry to dry unless he falls off the stool that's still not tall enough for him to reach the cloth lines. They take turns and are just as bad or passing as the other. _Twin Telekinesis_ , he tells Yuuta who believes him which pleases him a lot. Hinata always makes sure to reward them both after with a pat on the head after a job well done which Yuuta thinks is hilariously stupid, so he just returns the gesture to Hinata.

Hinata is proud to have such a good, helpful little brother, and he makes sure to say it often.

School is fun, but Hinata gets upset when he sees parents and children interacting, and he's pretty sure Yuuta feels the same. He doesn't know how to feel about being upset or why he's upset, really, so every time the feelings happen, he just goes to Yuuta to hang off and tease to take both of their minds off it. Yuuta acts annoyed and calls him clingy, but Hinata calls him out on doing the same thing when Ren's Papa visits to teach the class sign language. They don't do anything to stop the other or change their act even when their friends call them weird for being so close.

Winter break rolls around. The two of them heft out the kotatsu from the futon for the living room and figure out how to get the heat source in the middle to work, and Yuuta has a burn on his left thumb to prove it. Hinata prays their father doesn’t notice the scratches on the wood floor.

A few buttons on Hinata's only jacket have fallen off because he fiddles with them, and the glue of the soles of Yuuta's nice shoes are coming undone; they're happy that they don't have to walk to school in the cold, but they do make an exception for Maya's birthday party. They walk to her house by themselves without the neighborhood escort the school community supplies and forget to bring a present, but her mom sends them home with cool toy whistles and extra cake anyways. It's painfully sweet, but they still eat a part of it while doing break homework, watching anime, and playing card games together for one whole day.

After that day, they don't see Dad for three days, and he didn't bring back food from the corner store on the last day they did see him.

In that timespan, they eat a can of red bean paste, four overcooked ramen packets, rice that Yuuta burns most of, and the last of the cake.

On the third morning, Hinata is moody and his head hurts. He wants milk but they drank it all two days ago. Despite this, he's bored, so he gets up from the kotatsu where he'd been reading some manga he doesn't know all the kanji in to go find Yuuta and make him play something to do with superheroes. His search lands him in the kitchen with Yuuta standing in front of the fridge with half empty condiments and a take out box that would definitely smell if they opened it.

“Onii-chan, I'm hungry...”

“We've been over this. Me too, Yuuta-kun.”

“I don't feel good.”

Hinata pauses at that. He doesn't either, but he doesn't want Yuuta to feel bad, too.

“Did we check the-”

Yuuta tears up and that shocks him frozen.

“You know we ate everything! There's nothing and we're gonna starve to death!”

“W-we're not! Dad will come back soon and--”

“Dad's a stupid jerk and he forgot about us! Why do you think we're hungry in the first place!”

“Don't say that!” Hinata yells, and he knows the same startled expression at his outburst is mirrored on his face but it morphs into frustration.

“He _told_ us that we'd have to take care of ourselves! We've been doing great so far and we are gonna keep doing it!”

The anger is sapped out of his body when Yuuta's sniffling gets quieter but big, fat tears still drip down his cheeks. Hinata wipes his own damp eyes before slowly going to hug his brother.

He doesn't know what to do. He's the older one here, as far as anyone knows, but he doesn't know what to do. His mind runs a mile a minute, and then - it stops at one destination. There's really only one thing to do because the other option is doing nothing, and Hinata is just as hungry and down as his sibling.

“...what do you want to eat, Yuuta-kun?”

“... something warm...?”

Hinata gently pushes Yuuta away from him by the shoulders and squeezes. Yuuta looks back confused, but Hinata smiles.

“Okay! Let's get going, then!” He lets go to turn around and begin getting ready to face the elements.

“...what? Where are we going? How are we gonna get food?” Yuuta wipes his nose with the back of his hand.

Hinata doesn't actually know yet, but he wants to look cool. “Just trust your awesome nii-chan!” He pointedly doesn't look at Yuuta's face because the doubt on his face will definitely make him drop the facade and also probably irritate him.

Yuuta doesn't ask anything else after that. He just goes into his room and slowly starts putting on warmer clothes on with the door open while Hinata does the same from across the hallway. Hinata finishes first so he takes a moment to stare at his socked feet. The print of Little Twin Stars have music notes around their chibi faces, and suddenly, Hinata is struck with a brilliant idea.

“We can play on the street!”

Yuuta wobbles while pulling up his jeans. “What?”

“We can play the recorder like how the harmonica and puppet and guitar guys do in the train station and streets and TV!”

“But it's cold? And where will we do it? Isn't that kind of scary? Can't we just go to the store and...I don't know? Take some stuff?”

“Of course not! We'll be together and we'll be moving around so we'll be okay! And that's wrong! And-- and...uh…”

The idea of doing a performance near home or school felt more like a crime than stealing, but only because Hinata didn't want to get caught and bother Dad again.

“Well...we can _borrow_ some food if we get really hungry but I don't want to get in trouble, so let's wait? You wanna take a trip?”

“Fiiiine. Where?”

“I don't know! Let's just go now!”

Slightly hesitant but ultimately caught up in his brother's enthusiasm, Yuuta flashes a grin with two missing teeth and replies “Yeah!”

Yuuta grabs Hinata's scarf and vice versa, and they argue over it for a minute before their stomachs grumble simultaneously. Hinata decides to be the bigger person and drop it, but not without saying that Yuuta's scarf looks better on him anyways and he laughs when he's chased out of their house. They make it to the sidewalk in front of the apartment before remembering they forgot their recorders and tissues that Yuuta immediately needs because of his earlier tears and the cold.

The weather is painful. Hinata is excited about putting on a concert but he knows the wind and bone chilling moisture will make them both tired faster and he wants to be out of the house and busy for as long as possible. When they double back, they stash their instruments and shared practice book in a backpack along with grabbing the one beanie they can find. After a game of rock-paper-scissors that determines who gets to wear what first and Yuuta looks like a purple headed tissue walrus shouldering a concert, Hinata stops in front of Dad's room.

“What are you doing?” asks Yuuta.

“...Nothing? Are you ready?”

Yuuta just grabs his hand and they leave again. Back near the empty street, they stand still until Hinata makes his mind to really make their day an adventure. He leads Yuuta the opposite way that they walk to school, and Yuuta says that's a dumb idea which Hinata refutes with “Why are you going along with it anyways, then?” Yuuta squeezes his hand until his knuckles pop, so Hinata apologizes for being mean.

They pass by five bus stops before Hinata says he's bored. Yuuta is always one step ahead of him in that department and taps his shoulder, and he is deemed the demon. He makes a bunch of groans and gurgling noises that make Yuuta squeal laughing when he chases him, and the roles quickly reverse as they tag each other repeatedly until they're warm and chilly from working up a sweat. On the sidewalk of a business building with relatively few people walking past, they take a break and talk about what kind of drink they wanted right then. Hinata realizes he doesn't remember when they'd left the area with homes, but he ignores the stab of fear in his empty stomach and thinks to bring it up later so Yuuta isn't too mad at him.

He stands up, his flush and pleasant tiredness gone, and offers his hand to Yuuta to help up. Their now clammy hands touch and Yuuta makes a face.

“What's wrong?”

He was found out so fast. Luckily, Hinata has other, better worries due to rushing into things to be chastised about for the time being.

“There's not a lot of people here, so we should keep going until we get somewhere we can get a crowd!”

His brother nods in agreement and sidles closer to his side when a businessman briskly walks by them. Moving forward, Hinata hears a weird slapping noise coming from his brother but doesn't ask about it until Yuuta squeezes his hand just a foot away from where they sat, making him stop. He points to his shoe and Hinata frowns.

“What happened?’

“Do you remember? It was broken. I think they're _really_ broken now. Should I take them off?”

His first instinct is to say “Yes” because the sound is annoying, but he takes a second to think.

“You can wear one of my shoes and I'll wear one of yours? That way our feet will be equally cold!”

“... that's dumb and weird, but okay.”

Yuuta takes off his right shoe and trades it for Hinata's, and Yuuta grimaces.

“Your shoes are just as bad!”

They grab each other's hand and begin walking again.

“That is _not_ true! Yours aren't even shoes anymore!”

“Yeah, but they were before and yours just suck!”

“Fine! Then give mine back!”

“No! ... Nii-chan!” Yuuta jerks his arm away and Hinata gets scared he hurt his feelings.

“What? I'm sorry...”

“What? No-- look where we are!” Yuuta beckons around them.

The two are dwarved under the arch entrance of a big, bustling shopping street. It's not jam packed or anything, but many people are doing their shopping and flitting through the stores and some older rambunctious kids are weaving through the benches, trashcans, and vending machines.

They look at each other and grin.

“Let's set up there--”

“No, Yuuta-kun! Over there--”

“What? Are you thick? Nobody's gonna watch us from there. Wait, hold on. Do you hear that?”

Hinata tilts his head and follows Yuuta's line of sight and all the crushing disappointment he'd recently learned hits him once again.

The kids are gathered around some dude breakdancing with a boombox in the far corner. The territory is taken, and Hinata is scared of getting in a fight like he's heard of on the news. Yuuta looks like he's thinking the same thing and has scooted closer, and the warmth from him and the hand clutching his sweater is comforting but barely. At least the dancing looks really cool.

He leans in to whisper “Well, that sucks! Wanna watch and steal some of his moves?”

Yuuta frowns and nods hesitantly. Hinata walks slowly so no distance grows between them, and they stand a little aways from the cheering children and few parents surrounding the man.

His dance is awesome. Hinata holds his breath and counts how long he spins on just one hand, and the music makes him tap his toes. He looks at his brother to see Yuuta following along, just as enchanted.

“I wanna do that!” he says.

“Me too! Do you think we can learn?”

“Of course!”

A particularly loud noise of amazement rings through the center and the man finishes, panting and thanking everyone for watching. He gestures towards a cup on the ground and the little crowd throws in change. Hinata feels like he's seen something revolutionary and stares at the exchange for so long that the everyone disperses and the man looks back at him.

“Oi!”

Yuuta and Hinata stiffen, but Hinata shakes himself enough to inch in front of his brother. The man smiles and that makes Hinata's shoulders raise. He glares and contemplates running away while the guy turns around and rummages through his bag, but he turns back to them before they can make a break for it. Two bright green packages are held out to them in each hand.

Hinata doesn't trust the guy, but that offer makes Hinata compelled to go towards him immediately. He looks at Yuuta with a raised eyebrow and he gets a shrug in return. Being the older brother and making all the decisions is tough, but he thinks he's right to go towards the man.

When they're close enough, Hinata notices he's missing one tooth. It reminds him of the person behind him and he feels better yet about being near the stranger. He sits down criss cross and beckons for them to follow suit, so they do, and he gives them the offering. They're fruit gummies. Hinata's rips it open the moment he figures that out, but Yuuta elbows him from where he sits a little behind him.

“Oh-- er, thank you!”

“Thank you…”

The man cackles and Hinata is mesmerized by the tooth gap, and he grins back at the display of glee. Yuuta opens his bag quietly.

“What are two such little fellas standing so far back for? Wait...lemme guess! You two gotta be artists! I can tell -- it'd be a right shame of me not ta’ notice ya studying me 'n show some hospitality!”

“You talk funny! We were looking for a spot to play these,” he pulls the backpack off his shoulder that he took midway through their games of tag to show off their recorders, “but um...we, uh, we got caught up in your dancing! It was so cool!”

The man nods and slaps his knee, radiating joy and Hinata is swept up by it. It's been awhile since he experienced good attention from an adult.

“Ohhh, I get it! Took you and you's spot, huh? Sorry, sorry! The candy'll make up for it!”

Hinata _finally_ gets to taste the chewy colored pieces that are still a little sweet for his taste but then they're gone and seeing it empty so soon makes him bummed.

Yuuta burps. All three of them burst out laughing.

“Well, ‘m ‘fraid that's all I have to offer ya! We're competitors heading to the _top_ ,” he jumps up and strikes a pose pointing upward, “so I can't make room on this aisle, _but_ go down some more 'n turn a lil’ and it should be bumpin’ just as well! And don't stay too late -- 's gettin’ dark soon! Wait. Yeah?! Your parents? Where are they?”

Hinata turns his head away and is about to lie, but Yuuta beats him to it.

“We’re alone.”

He's about to chastise his little brother for spilling information like that to a stranger, although very kind and cool even though he'd probably do it given them another minute together.

The man nods and he scratches his chin, mouth pursed into a thoughtful pose. He turns back around towards his belongings and pulls out two more snacks.

“Save 'em for later, a'ight? When you're on you way back to...wherever, 'kay? And I wasn't kiddin’ about getting stuff done soon -- it's gonna get dark, fast, ya hear?”

Hinata eyes the second gift but Yuuta takes them both before he can and stuffs them into their bag which he shoulders. He stands up so Hinata joins him, and Hinata figures out he's bowing a tiny thank you to the guy so he follows suit. His brother is so cool and polite. That makes him really happy.

Guffawing one more time, he waves the thanks off and then looks like he just remembered something. He gets the plastic cup with the paper label ripped off, jams the money he dumps into his pocket, and holds the cup out. “Thank _you two_ for watching!”

Hinata straightens up and tilts his head. “Huh?”

“You'll need this! Stars start somewhere!”

People threw coins and bills there - that's right! Hinata's grin is permanently plastered on his face when he takes the cup and looks at their friend.

“Thanks again, old man!”

Hinata feels like doing cartwheels, and he'd bet his right hand and foot that Yuuta was feeling the same way. He hears his brother yell some kinda gratitude backwards when Hinata starts pulling him forward where they'd been pointed to.

From there, it's a blur of time and new places. They both speed walk through the large shopping district while dark clouds gather, and they “ooh” and “aah” at all the pretty things in the window displays. Yuuta raves about how the guy was perfectly on time when he danced and Hinata tells him it takes lots of practice as if he himself knows. They nearly get sidetracked when Hinata challenges Yuuta to a dance off and he's ready to throw down then and there; for once, Hinata backs down and says they should do that at home since they don't have anything else to do before school which Yuuta's inclined to agree with. The straight stretch isn't too long but they're in their own world, and then little snowflakes start. They're both dazzled by it and the lights that turn on because of the visibility that's sure to get worse.

Left, right, left, right, stop. Hinata thinks this street is a little smaller but he can't tell if there are less people. He asks if Yuuta thinks this area is okay but Yuuta only shrugs, so Hinata leads them to a closed storefront. It smells like perfumes even from outside but it's got a little awning which shields them from the small and steadily falling flakes. Hinata helps Yuuta hide towards the wall while he takes out the paper walrus tusks and just blows his nose as quietly as possible, and he sees that his fingertips are really pink. He thinks that his fingers must be as cold as his. Playing is going to be a bother but music is always fun. Maybe that's just the number one recorder player, tied with Yuuta, in the class talking, though.

Rubbing his hands together and breathing warm air on them, he sets up the cup in front of them and gets into playing position. Yuuta sneezes into his elbow and makes a face after getting praised for manners which makes Hinata laugh.

They're sitting criss cross side by side so Yuuta's broken left shoe is touching Hinata's broken right one with the music book opened in front of them. Hinata's excitement for this hasn't lessened, and he counts off for them like their teacher. Yuuta's a beat behind so Hinata instructs him and he obediently tries to get it right. They practice and play the stuff they know off the top of their head like Ode to Joy and Hot Cross Buns, but they both need the sheets for the national anthem and newer songs they're learning. About 20 minutes in, they've played everything once and just sit there.

“So...when do people start giving us stuff?” asks Yuuta.

He makes a gutteral “I don't know” noise. “I guess we just...keep playing?”

Yuuta and him both put their instruments down and rub their hands together, equally pink fingertips and noses. They laugh and go at it repeating the music and Hinata is so excited to brag about how good they both are in a few week's return.

People walk by. They're obviously rushing away to get out of the cold or are ladled with shopping bags, but they almost always glance at the two. Every adult that looks long enough makes that same kind of face that the dancer made near the end of their encounter, and he suddenly recalls that their few aunts and uncles did too whenever they stood without their father. It irritates him, but Hinata is patient more often than not so he tries shrugging it off. He just hopes Yuuta doesn't make anything of it. Better yet - if he doesn't notice.

An old lady eventually hobbles by and stops to listen. She smiles and Hinata is a little in awe at how perfect her teeth are despite the definite aging of her face, and she pushes some crumpled notes in the cup and mumbles about how cute they are when leaving.

When she's out of sight, Hinata scrabbles to the cup and shows Yuuta what they've got. It's not a lot. It's not nearly enough for anything if Yuuta's expression means anything, but Hinata just shoves it back into the cup and then shakes Yuuta's shoulder again with a smirk.

“This is just the beginning! C'mon, you're not a quitter, right?”

Yuuta stares at him for way longer than necessary but he's given a soft smile that makes Hinata a little warmer. He's got such a great brother.

They play, and they get a few more passersbys dropping something into their tip jar. When sky skips sunset because of the clouds and it gets near black, Hinata's shaking. It was too fast to notice until it was a monochrome night time. The snow had been melting as soon as it touched the ground until just recently, so piles were growing and they had to put the book away. It didn't matter too much since they'd played the same songs so many times, even the harder stuff was memorized. Hinata turned to ask what song they should play again, but Yuuta again beats him to the punch to talk.

“Nii-chan...my fingers hurt. I'm cold.”

“Do you want to take a break?”

“Yeah.”

Yuuta puts his recorder away and scoots flush to Hinata's side. He's done. Hinata thought _he_ was shaking, but Yuuta is trembling really hard and that makes him nervous. He guesses he's done, too. He packs his recorder and money cup away and transfers the beanie on his head on Yuuta’s. Then, he shrugs off one arm of his sweater. Draping it around Yuuta as much as he can, he leans in and takes one of Yuuta's hands into both of his and tries to imitate what Mom used to do.

Yuuta watches him rub the white pink hand and then switch and Hinata knows what he's thinking about. Twin telepathy.

His hands are so much smaller than hers, but they're the same exact size as Yuuta's. The only difference is that Yuuta has that burn on his thumb and Hinata hasn't had his nails cut in a few days. Besides that, they're basically the same person. That comforts Hinata. That's how he knows what Yuuta will say next.

“I miss Mom...and Dad.”

“Me too.”

They sit there and Yuuta starts shaking harder.

“Did...we make enough to buy food?”

“I think so? You're gooder at math.”

“I’m so hungry I'd just eat the money.”

“I'm so hungry I'd beat you to it.”

“50/50, nii-chan. Don't be greedy.”

“Too bad, you're stuck with me!”

Yuuta sighs but Hinata knows it's fond.

“Can we be stuck together at home?”

“...”

“... nii-chan?”

Hinata is cold.

“Um, I don't...do you know how to get home?”

“...”

Yuuta's shaking doesn't stop, but Hinata stops moving. He looks left and sees tears on Yuuta's face. Again. His mouth opens and he jerks, but nothing comes out for a moment.

“--I'm sorry! This is my fault! I should have been watching and--”

“I'm not mad at you!”

Yuuta looks like he has more to say, but he sputters. Words fail him, too. Hinata thinks he can guess what Yuuta is thinking. Something like nothing goes right for them anymore, and that Hinata Aoi is a really, really, really bad older brother, and it's getting colder, and the dark is scary, and his stomach hurts, and he wants Mom, and he doesn't know what to do.

Yuuta sneezes three times in a row, so Hinata takes off his sweater all the way and puts it over Yuuta. Red rimmed eyes look at him and they both just shake their head, not knowing what's being communicated but understanding all the same. Hinata kicks the snow beginning to pile around them and his teeth start chattering.

“Hey there. Boys? Are you alright?”

Hinata looks towards the person speaking to them. A man who looks different than most people he's met and only sees on cartoons about Kung Fu is bundled in a thick jacket. He's balding a little and he has an accent, but he smells like something delicious.

Hinata and Yuuta just stare and don't respond.

His eyebrows raise and he beckons towards them like he was talking to stray kittens.

“I've got some leftovers from the dinner rush if you want some. Plus, it's too cold for little ones like you to be out in. Do you have somewhere to go?”

Hinata looks down but he can see Yuuta shake his head from the corner of his eye.

“The food will get cold if you play this game any longer.”

Hinata and Yuuta startle at the same time. That sentence sounded familiar, too familiar except it was said by a masculine voice and they hadn't been doing anything mischievous to warrant it.

They stand up and follow him. Their hands are clasped again and Hinata's heart nearly beats out of his chest when they're taken down a side alley of the street. As soon as they get close enough to a dimly lit, kind of dingy restaurant, he can smell strong spices that make his mouth and eyes water.

The man hasn't looked back once, but he sits them at a corner table of what is definitely a Chinese restaurant. Hinata looks around at the plastic golden dragons and bamboo engravings in the wall and then back at the viewable kitchen where he sees a bald spot moving around, clattering dish noises behind the high counter. He returns with two bowls of soup and hand sanitizer in the crook of his neck. Hinata looks at it and the crushing disappointment that he's now used to is making a probably permanent home in him.

“We can't pay for this. We only have this,” he slides the money from out of his pocket to the table surface where it scrapes.

The man looks surprised that that's the first thing he hears from one of them. He smiles as gently as possible, pushes the money back, and puts a finger to his lip in a “shh” gesture. Then, he holds out the sanitizer bottle expectantly.

“I won't tell anyone if you don't.”

Hinata's damp eyes overflow while he cleans his hands then digs in like an animal while similar slurping noises come from his side. They're sat across from while they eat but Hinata isn't too sure about anything besides the fact he's in love with the soup. There's a bite to it and he'd stop and jump in excitement if he weren't preoccupied.

He doesn't take in that the guy is observing them until he says “You might want to slow down or you'll get a stomach ache.”

Yuuta mumbles through a mouthful of food “Worth it.”

A laugh turns into a cough and that makes Hinata slow down just a little to look at the man again. He took his jacket off so now he looks like a stick.

“I heard you two playing, but I didn't get a chance to go listen. I had to close early, luckily. You're both very good!”

Hinata stops eating to wipe his mouth and beam at him. “Thanks!”

“Mhm! But tell me this -- you boys aren't in a Chindon'ya, right?”

With a scrunched face, Hinata asks “What's that?”

“Sounds familiar,” mumbles Yuuta who has also slowed down.

Nodding, he sends a cheeky grin their way. “Good that you don't know, 'cuz I do not want any more competition. I'm not the same and can't be doing stunts to attract customers these days.”

“Stunts?” they ask at the same time.

Another nod. “Uh-huh. I used to be very famous and very, very flexible.”

“Famous?!” they repeat together.

“Yup. But now I just run this shop, and my kids have flown the coop, so it's just little old me with my cute shop and more food than I possibly know what to do with…”

They stare at him, trying to figure out his angle and he smiles wide.

“Hey! It's winter break for good boys and girls, right? Are you free sometime soon? I can show you some tricks up my sleeve and maybe make some more of that--”

“Please. Please make more soup.” Yuuta holds out his bowl towards him with his head bowed and Hinata copies him as quick as possible.

“Only if you tell me your names and maybe...hm...where you came from.” He stands up and takes the bowls while he slowly walks back to the kitchen. “Or else I guess I just encountered some ghost children who were never here…”

Hinata is completely ready to tell this man anything he wants to know and Yuuta freezes at the mention of 'ghosts’. They wait and don't even bother to look at the door.

He returns after a longer time than the first looking pleased and puts the bowls down again with a little less soup and a little less vigor in his step. Hinata takes a spoonful and then points at himself with the utensil. “I'm Hinata!”

“I'm Yuuta.”

“Oh, very cool! Or very cute! So...Sun-kun and Moon-kun?”

Hinata and Yuuta beam at the nicknames and nod. “If you forget, Yuuta has two teeth missing and I only lost one so far!”

“Impressive! I lost all my teeth once!”

“What? You're lying,” says Yuuta.

“I am not!”

“Are too!” says Hinata.

“If you don't believe me, you don't want me to tell you guys about all the villains I've fought…?”

Hinata is trembling but the cold has all been shaken from his limbs at this point and his tears are dried. “Please!”

Another pleasant laugh that sounds tired leaves the person in front of them, and he glances back and forth from their eyes. “Okay, I'll tell you brave souls when I walk you home. Is that okay?”

Hinata stands up and shakes the table, a feeling of deep relief and gratitude too much to handle. “Please! Pretty please!”

He doesn't expect that, but he nods with a determined kind of face. Hinata pockets the money so a map pulled out can be laid flat on his side of the table as he asks them for their address. Yuuta recites it like how they practiced the school year before, and the only noises in the room is slurping and the sound of a pencil scratching paper.

“Wow. You two really are brave adventurers. You... didn't walk here, did you?”

Yuuta nods and Hinata shrugs.

“...Once you're done eating, I wanna show you how far you guys got.”

Hinata likes the way he said that for some reason, and the shame of getting them lost is replaced with pride. They had experienced a lot today, and his school teacher always said that was necessary for growth. Even if he didn't really get _why_ that was important. After finishing and Hinata feels like if he moves, he'll explode, his eyes track the zigzagged pencil line that doesn't look like a lot but he's told it's very, very far for their size. He thinks they're average size so that's weird, but he doesn't say anything else. He'd rather listen to what this guy has to tell them because he's funny and super nice and obviously pretty smart.

“It's getting late, and I'm sure someone is worried about you both. Do you have a phone number to contact?”

“Yeah, but he won't answer.”

Yuuta's response dampens the optimism coming back to him, but the hair suddenly in his eyes is much more effective at cutting off a sense. The hand ruffling his and his brother's hair is affectionate and almost makes Hinata cry again but he doesn't understand why.

“Well...I'd answer! I _will_ answer! Let me give you guys the shop's number and this map so you can find me again if you really need to, okay?”

“Did you mean it when you said you'd teach us tricks?” That promise stuck to Hinata like the gum on Yuuta's shoe. He wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it until it's addressed.

“Of course. Since it's so far, I won't ask you come around too much but whenever you have a free day. Make sure to come in the daytime next visit though.”

“Okay! Yuuta-kun, this is gonna be so fun!”

“Yeah!”

“Woah there. Just know that music isn't really my first priority. I'm more of a physical kinda guy, you know?”

“Like... dancing?”

“That-- and backflips, and headstands, punching, kicking - but only to defend. That kind of stuff sound alright?”

Yuuta is the one to stand up in excitement this time and Hinata and the man laugh. Yuuta blushes.

“Please teach us, Master!”

Hinata feels the stares of the two and then giddy when Yuuta mimics him and _Master_ smiles.

“Let's get moving!”

The walk home is longer than getting there. Master brings an umbrella and lets them use it for the snow, and Hinata grabs his hand instinctively after holding Yuuta's. He's embarrassed for a second for forgetting himself but the confused fondness that looks down at him and the reassuring squeeze makes sure to have him not let go. They're asked about the shoe deal and how their day went, and Yuuta talks a lot more than he usually does with new people and Hinata is happy because he likes this guy. He coughs a lot but he smells like home cooking and something clean. A shoot of jealousy at Master's kids makes its way unreasonably through Hinata who just shoves the thought aside and continues rambling about music. They are told about the teeth story that sounds ridiculous but a part of Hinata wants to think it might possibly, could be true only because a princess dragon sounds super rad.

When they get to an area that he recognizes was near the beginning of their journey, him and Yuuta are definitely dragging their feet. Master ruffles their hair again and makes them pick up the pace so they can all get warm through a coughing fit. It's when they're in front of their apartment complex that Hinata realizes that Yuuta and him survived the day. They had succeeded in getting food, had put on a concert, and gotten out of the house. It's a miracle and Hinata doesn't let go of Master's hand.

“Hinata-kun? Yuuta-kun? This is it, right?”

Twin Telepathy makes them both turn and hug him.

“Thank you for the food and helping us,” Yuuta says where his mouth is muffled on the fluffy jacket of their adult.

“I don't know what we'd do if you didn't find us.”

Master is silent for a minute with one hand on one red head each. He kneels so he's closer to eye level with them.

“It was very fun and cool to meet you boys. Thank you for letting me get to know you. If you ever need anything, you know where to find me now, okay? Whenever. I have lots of stories to tell and you both haven't seen me balance on anything, yet.”

“Whenever?”

“Anytime.”

Hinata almost asks if they could go back home with him, but he just tightens his grip on Yuuta's hand instead. Master stands up and they both back up to look at him fully. He gives them back their backpack and takes back the umbrella after some persistence from Yuuta who says he's worried he'll get a cold. Yuuta also forces him to take their gummy candies after telling him he can believe it's medicine for his cough and Master laughs and thanks him.

“We'll see you tomorrow!”

His face is surprised again and Hinata sees tons of emotions flit through his face. Sadness? Happiness? The look they get from aunts and uncles and odd, friendly dancers? Determination? Hinata feels like he knows what the guy is going through which is new since the only person he knows really relates to him is Yuuta. It's a warm feeling.

“See you. Good night, boys.”

“Night!”

They walk inside and repeatedly turn back around to wave at him, and he stands and waves at them until they're inside.

There's no large shoes at the entrance, and Hinata wants to go back outside and follow Master home like a lost puppy but Yuuta looks like he's about to pass out right there at the doorstep.

“PJs. Come on, Yuuta-kun.”

They shuffle around on autopilot and Hinata doesn't remember changing. Crawling into bed where Yuuta has beaten him to, he scootches closer and covers himself.

“Th'nks, nii-chan.”

“Hm? What for?”

“You had a good idea today. Sorry I cried a lot.”

“No, I'm sorry. It ended good at least.”

“Really good! Can we really go back tomorrow?”

“Mhm! And now we can buy some ramen packets or something from Master…”

Yuuta makes a sleepy affirmative noise and Hinata giggles. He closes his eyes, just as tired.

A lot of things had changed and still were, but winter wasn't over. There were so many other things that could happen, but they were bound to be fun if he looked at it correctly. He had to for both of them. His younger brother was the person he trusted the most on the world, so all the bad feelings that he'd led them astray today were banished when Yuuta had complimented them for leading them on this adventure. He was proud of them both for pulling through.

The last coherent thing in his mind is a familiar smile on their new friend and a feeling he hadn't felt in awhile.

Full.

**Author's Note:**

> started this 2/20 & then was not in my right mind for 2weeks so you can prolly tell where i dropped the ball. writing this was painful cuz that and for like 20 other reasons. Mayhaps i cried a little. it’s 5am and im tryin to write 6yo pov this is hcdsgj grgle noising.
> 
> hinata aoi smiles so yuuta and the person reading this can too!
> 
> stream play tag . im still crying  
> twitter opanimeboyy
> 
> hope you found some enjoyment! <3 Sorry for the angst tag and, well, uh angst but i think about their background a lot.
> 
> Edit: I WILL BE WRITING THREE ADDITIONAL SEGMENTS THESE BOYS HAVE TAKEN OVER MY LIFE!!! alternating POV 3, 2, 1.....2wink Worl


End file.
